[Peripheral arterial disease and diabetes related lower limb amputations. Presentation of the epidemiological data and the analysis of potentialities in preventive strategy].

Lower limb amputation as one of the most devastating consequences of peripheral arterial disease and diabetes mellitus needs peculiar attention. This review aims at comparing Hungarian and international amputation data. Realizing the great variability of the global amputation incidence and trends data, the main determinants of this variety are assessed. These factors involve methodological differences in reporting, demographic, epidemiological, economic, societal and cultural variation of the affected populations and differences in the health care service. The amputation hazard can be considered as an example of lifetime risk that can be characterized by complex interaction of contionuously changing risk factor pattern. In that sense an effective preventive strategy planning needs complex measure implementations that associate with multidisciplinary approach, timely complex preventive interventions and centralized vascular care. Research and development on amputation field shows clear priority that can contribute to the better understanding of this extremely complex scenario with significant public health consequences. Orv. Hetil., 2016, 157(32), 1266-1274.